This invention is directed to an oral cleaning device. In particular, the invention is directed to a device for cleaning the vestibule of the mouth and for removing plaque from teeth. The device has a terry cloth sleeve that is removable and disposable.
The significance of oral hygiene in the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums is well recognized. It is well known that dental plaque is the major cause of periodontal disease. Broadly, plaque consists of an adhesive mass of bacteria, mucins, food and other organic matter which, if present for long enough on the teeth, calcifies to form calculus. Consequently, it is appreciated that the effective and complete removal of plaque is essential to the maintenance of good oral hygiene.
The removal of plaque from the oral tissues at an early stage of its development may be achieved by brushing. However, if calcification occurs, then the resultant calculus may only be removed by vigorous mechanical action, usually performed by a dentist. It is therefore important to ensure plaque removal before calcification occurs.
Devices have been developed for clearing the food particles and bacteria from the mouth and teeth. The most well-known and commonly used devices are toothbrushes with bristles that are moved across the teeth to remove food residue and plaque from the enamel surface, as well as larger food particles trapped in between teeth. Toothpicks and dental floss are also frequently used to extract smaller food particles that become trapped between teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,444 of Horiguchi discloses a plaque remover consisting of an abradant for removing dental plaque, dirt adhered to teeth, filler, prosthetics, or implants by injecting the device with water or with a combination of water and compressed air. U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,973 of Phelan is also directed to a plaque removing device, adaptable to a water supply, which includes a flexible conduit, an interchangeable toothbrush, a plurality of bristles, and a rinse reservoir.
Conventional brushing of the teeth does not effectively stimulate the gingiva tissue in the thicker gum regions. To adequately stimulate the gums with negligible damage to the tissue area, however, a softer device suited to cleaning the tissue area was needed. A massaging tool, having a half-cylindrical shaped head or mouthpiece, including sturdy, relatively short, closely packed nodules, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,796 of Linzey. The head of the massaging tool is attached to a handle, providing gently stimulating action. U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,625 of Bukowski discloses a hand-held implement with a specially contoured, flexible tip covered by a strong, absorbent fabric that is removably secured in place. The fabric permits cleansing of the gums of denture wearers on a safe and sanitary basis. The hand-held implement is particularly useful to those persons wearing dentures, having extractions or oral surgery, and having oral infections when the mouth and gums are in a sensitive state.
In addition to cleaning the teeth and gums, the folds of the mouth between the gums and cheeks, known as vestibule of the mouth, also require frequent cleaning. Food particles and plaque, which can collect in the vestibule and further tooth decay and gum disease, need to be removed. Toothbrushes are typically too abrasive for the sensitive tissue in the vestibule and can, therefore, cause pain to the user. In addition, brushes are awkward and difficult to manipulate in the narrow folds between the gums and cheeks. Toothpick-type devices are not well suited to clean the vestibule of the mouth as they do not have enough surface area to clean the folds of the mouth in an effective manner. In addition, the pointed tips on the toothpicks can injure the gums and surrounding tissues. Fingers may also be used to clean the vestibule, however, depending upon the individual, the fingers may be ill-sized to access all areas of the vestibule. Further, germs and bacteria residing on the fingers or underneath fingernails can be spread to the mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,358 of the applicant discloses a device for daily cleaning the vestibule of the mouth, not limited to denture wearers, including a rounded tapered end having a bend or curve with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device. The rounded end may be rotatable with respect to a handle portion of the device. The device may be used alone or in combination with a fabric sleeve to sweep matter from the vestibule.
It would be beneficial to provide a device capable of both safely cleaning the vestibule of the mouth and removing plaque. The present invention is directed to a device that accomplishes both.
The present invention is directed to a device for oral cleaning and plaque removal including an elongated member having a central axis and first and second portions, wherein the second portion has a rounded end and a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the second portion is positioned at an angle to the central axis, preferably about 30xc2x0 to 60xc2x0, and more preferably about 45xc2x0, to conform to the curvature of a mouth. A terry cloth covering is positioned over at least part of the second portion and affixed thereto for plaque removal and collection of particles in a vestibule. In one embodiment, the device has a length of about 4.5 inches to 6 inches.
The elongated member may include wood, rubber, plastic, or a combination thereof. The first and second portions of the elongated member may be made of substantially the same materials or, in another embodiment, different materials. In another embodiment, the first portion of the elongated member has grooves configured and dimensioned for receiving a user""s finger pads.
In one embodiment, the terry cloth covering is pretreated with an oral cleaning composition. In another embodiment, the terry cloth covering is treated with an oral cleaning composition after positioning over at least part of the second portion.
In another embodiment, the terry cloth covering is configured and dimensioned as a sleeve to slide over at least part of the second portion and is preferably seamless and disposable. The terry cloth covering may also be a rectangular swatch of material that is positioned on at least part of the second portion and is affixed thereto by a clamping ring that fits into a groove defined at a position along the length of the second portion.
The device may further include a rotation axis positioned between the first and second portions of the elongated member to enable rotation of the rounded end about the central axis.
The present invention is also directed to an oral cleaning device including a first handle portion having a central axis, a second handle portion having a rounded end, wherein the second handle portion has a longitudinal axis that is angled with respect to the central axis, and a rotational axis positioned between the first and second handle portions which enables rotation of the second handle portion with respect to the first handle portion. A terry cloth material fits over at least part of the second portion for removing plaque and cleaning particles from a vestibule of a mouth.
The present invention is also directed to a plaque removing and vestibule cleaning device including a handle, having a first longitudinal axis, and first and second portions, wherein the second portion has a rounded top end, a grooved bottom end, and a second longitudinal axis that is at an angle with respect to the first longitudinal axis. A rotational axis is positioned between the first and second portions to enable circumferential rotation of the second portion with respect to the first portion and a seamless terry cloth material is positioned over the rounded top end and extends past the grooved bottom end of the second portion. A ring positioned over the rounded top end and fitted into the grooved end of the second portion secures the terry cloth material to the device.
In one embodiment, the terry cloth material is pretreated with an oral cleaning composition. In another embodiment, the oral cleaning composition is applied to the terry cloth material after being positioned and secured onto the device.
Yet another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of plaque from teeth and cleaning a vestibule of a mouth. The method includes inserting a device at least partially into the mouth, the device including an elongated member having a central axis, a first portion configured and dimensioned to be grasped by a user, and a second portion having a rounded end and a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis of the second portion is positioned at an angle to the central axis to conform to the curvature of the mouth. A terry cloth covering is positioned over at least part of the second portion and affixed thereto. The terry cloth covering is then rubbed against the teeth to remove plaque therefrom and the vestibule of the mouth is massaged with the terry cloth covering remove particles therefrom.
In one embodiment, the method further includes removing the device from the mouth, removing the terry cloth covering from the device, and disposing of the terry cloth covering.